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Poll finds Goodell unpopular with NFL players

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell

(SportsData) — NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is not a very popular figure among the league’s players, a poll conducted by USA Today revealed Monday. Sixty-one percent of 300 NFL players polled by USA Today from Dec. 19 to Jan. 12 said that they disapprove of Goodell’s performance.

Players polled were from both active rosters as well as practice squads with a margin of error of plus-minus 5 percent. Among those disapproving of Goodell noted his hand in increasing fines for infractions as well as his role in determining sanctions for those involved in the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal.

“Roger Goodell has tremendous respect for NFL players and always seeks their views on a wide range of issues,” league spokesman Greg Aiello told USA Today in response to the poll. “He values their input tremendously in working to make the game better. Roger broke into the league 30 years ago working closely with players, and he hasn’t changed that approach.”